Attention to all individuals looking to rent a house, be cautious. The police in Southern California have reported a rise in “fake rental listings” in the market, especially on social media platforms, with cases of rental fraud increasing recently.
The Placentia Police Department in Orange County issued a warning on Monday (20th), stating that they are monitoring a significant increase in rental fraud cases on social media platforms, including Facebook Marketplace, TikTok, and Instagram.
Authorities point out that scam groups first steal real estate photos and related descriptions from the MLS website, then combine this information to create a rental listing with relatively cheaper rent, which they post on social media to lure victims.
Southern California resident Xiao Song recently encountered a similar incident. He originally lived in Riverside County but due to a new job in Alhambra on the west side, he extensively searched for rental information online. One day, he came across a rental ad on Facebook showing a house that looked very new, clean, bright, with photos of a yard and parking spaces.
“The rent included utilities, so the overall price was several hundred dollars cheaper than similar listings I had seen before,” Xiao Song said he was tempted and immediately contacted the poster to schedule a viewing.
He said, “The person claiming to be the landlord quickly agreed but mentioned that the house was in high demand, with many interested parties, and advised me to pay a deposit to secure a priority viewing. I said I wanted to see it first. The person then sent more photos of the house, claiming they were the same as the actual condition, renovated recently, and suggested that if I paid a month’s deposit upfront, I could sign the lease after the viewing without worrying about losing it to someone else.”
The request to pay without viewing raised Xiao Song’s alertness. “I didn’t pay immediately. The person sent several more messages, including payment details, urging me to decide quickly to avoid missing out on a good opportunity.”
After calming down, Xiao Song searched online using the house description and photos from the ad and discovered that the photos were actually from a house listed for sale. He immediately blocked the poster to avoid any financial loss.
The Placentia Police Department advises the public that certain signals might indicate rental fraud:
1) Unreasonably low rent: The rental price significantly lower than the local market rate is a tactic used by scammers to lure victims in with a bargain.
2) Requesting payment through third-party systems like Cash App or Zelle: Scammers may ask for a deposit or application fee via Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, or cryptocurrency before viewing the property.
3) Refusal to schedule an in-person viewing: Scammers claim to be out of town, abroad, or sick, making it impossible to arrange a physical viewing of the property.
4) Creating a sense of urgency: Scammers pressure victims by claiming that the property will be rented to someone else if payment is not made immediately, forcing victims into rushed decisions.
Speaking of rental prices, in line with the current housing market in California, whether buying or renting, costs remain high. In areas like Orange County, San Diego County, Chinese-populated cities in Los Angeles County, and San Francisco, rent prices are particularly expensive.
For example, according to online real estate company Zillow, rental prices in Rosemead range from $950 (mostly for single rooms) to $7,026, with an average rent of $2,900; the average rent in Irvine is $4,500, and in San Francisco, it’s $4,398.
Authorities also provide several methods to prevent rental fraud:
1) Never pay before physically viewing the property: Do not make any payments until you or someone trustworthy has visited the property in person.
2) Verify the property address: Search online for the property address and check if the house is listed for sale on legitimate real estate websites.
3) Verify official information: Use the County Assessor’s official website to check the property’s legitimate owner information.
This article is for general information purposes only. Epoch Times does not provide real estate planning advice.